Clannad: Stretching Out Forever
by Shinryudan
Summary: A tale of the Okazaki family traveling to America. What new people and places await them? Rated T for possible mild alcohol references and language, as well as violence.


Disclaimer: I don't own Clannad.

"Mommy, Grandma's bread looks weird..." Ushio said, staring at a white, squishy bun shaped like a snowflake, with fruits pressed in.

"We have to eat one piece, or Grandma will be sad!" Nagisa said.

Sanae started using Nagisa and Ushio as guinea pigs for her bread, finally becoming aware of the fact her bread was unpopular.

"But, Mommy! It's so squishy, and I can't swallow it..." Ushio complained.

Against all odds, Sanae was standing in the doorway.

"So, is that how you feel? Grandma's bread is inedible?" she said, almost about to run away.

"Mom! No, that's not how it is! Ushio, that was mean!" Nagisa scolded her daughter.

"Grandma, I'm sorry!" Ushio said, tugging on her apron. She gave her grandma a very adorable stare. And Sanae succumbed. It was impossible to bear.

"It's OK, honey... Now, let's go inside." Sanae said.

Ever since Ushio was born, the doctors at the hospital made it a point to study Nagisa's illness. In the seven years that had passed, they had finally developed a vaccine for the illness. It was a miracle that they developed it at all. They administered the vaccine as soon as they were ready.

Since that, Ushio and Nagisa were healthier than ever. Nagisa, now finally having the strength to do her duties without fatigue, decided to start college, even though it was quite late to do so. She had decided to get a teaching license to become a teacher, like her mother.

Tomoya himself had already finished his bachelor's degree. He was majoring in medicine, having pushed himself to his limit to catch up with all of his work in order to qualify for going to a good college. Being a delinquent can cause that.

In the meantime, while Tomoya was at work, Sanae had come to get Nagisa and Ushio's input on the bread, and to see how they were.

"So, you think I should bake it, and fill it with cream?" Sanae said.

"Yeah. Try making something sweet. I don't think savory bread is your strong point." Nagisa said.

"That's interesting. Maybe if I'm successful with that, we might get more customers, and expand the shop." she said.

Just then, Tomoya walked in the door.

"Daddy! Grandma's here!" Ushio said.

"I see. Mommy and I need to talk with Grandma right now. Can you go play in the other room?" he told Ushio.

When Ushio headed off, Tomoya said, "Sanae, I've been thinking we should eventually move out of this apartment. Ushio is a growing girl, and she needs more space than she has now."

"That's right, but do we even have the money? Moreover, where would we go?" Nagisa said.

"Kotomi has successfully made a living in America, and has offered to lend financial support. She's even put in a word with a good college in America for you and I." Tomoya said.

"Really? That's amazing!" Sanae said.

"But, won't we need to pay her back eventually? I feel bad, imposing on her like that." Nagisa said.

"We will pay her back, no matter how much she says no. Because, as of now, she's refusing to place a debt on us." Tomoya said.

"But are you sure you're ready to move to another country?" Nagisa said.

"I think we should be fine, now that we've learned to adequately speak, read, and write in English." Tomoya said.

"But, what about my parents? I don't want to just leave them here!" Nagisa said.

"Nagisa, it's fine. We'd prefer that you branched out a little more." Sanae said.

"OK... I guess I have to accept we're going somewhere new!" Nagisa said cheerfully.

"Ushio! Come here, please!" Nagisa called. The child quickly jumped into her mother's arms.

"Yes, Mommy?" Ushio said.

"Ushio, we're going to be leaving this house soon." Nagisa said.

"Why?" Ushio asked, then turning to Tomoya.

"Mommy and Daddy have new jobs, and we have to live somewhere else together. We'll still live together, but we can't see Grandma and Grandpa all the time." Tomoya explained.

"OK. I'm ready." the little girl said.

"What? Ushio, are you sure?" Sanae said.

"Miss Fujibyashi said we have to make sacrifices sometimes in order to be with the people we care about. I want to be with Mommy and Daddy, and also Grandma and Grandpa. But Mommy and Daddy want me to go with them, so I'll go." Ushio said.

The three of them stared at Ushio, amazed she understood such a complex thing.

"Well, now that that's out of the way, let's get this apartment on the market!" Sanae said.

With that, the family sold their apartment remarkably fast, packed their bags, and headed by train to Tokyo International Airport.

Ushio was very timid when they came to the airport, because there were so many people.

"Daddy, are all these people coming with us?" Ushio said.

"No, Ushio, only some. And after we get to the other side, we all go to different places." Tomoya said.

"What is the other side, Daddy?" Ushio said.

"It's a place called America. And we're going to live in a place called Boston." Tomoya said.

"I wonder if they have bakeries in Boston too..." the little girl said.

"I sure hope so!" Nagisa said.

The family went through security, and then to their gate. Upon boarding the plane, Tomoya and Nagisa bid farewell to the town they grew up in, and had brought them together.


End file.
